Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Kaitlyn tests positive!
I was proud of Kaitlyn for wanting to participate in the research study. I didn't think much about it again until my negative results showed up in the mail & hers didn't. Nothing the next day or the next. By the time the phone call came, I knew what was about to be said before she said it. Kaitlyn tested positive for the antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes & qualified for stage 2 of the study. They did a genetic study to see if she had the protective gene. She doesn't. Although testing positive doesn't guarantee that she will get type 1 diabetes, she is in the highest risk category with a 50% chance of developing the disease in the next 5 years. She has a beautiful attitude about it! Every 3 months, she willingly fasts overnight and while we drive to Nashville for an oral glucose tolerance test. They take lots of bloodwork & watch her closely. So far, everything looks good. She likes participating because she feels like she's helping science and because they pay her $50 for her trouble. Andrew wanted to know why she gets paid for an IV every three months and no one pays him for 4 shots a day!
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She is definitely the trooper; I"m not sure that $50 would be an incentive to me. I despised the time I had to do the three hour glucose test while pregnant.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for telling Andrew's story. I feel like every time I read a post I learn something new about Type 1 Diabetes. Strange to me too that both families with 5 children I know have a boy with Type 1 Diabetes.
ReplyDeleteHi, Chrysty! Thanks for reading! It is strange! I know of one family where 4 of 5 kids are now type 1 diabetic!
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